EDC planning session set for Saturday

By LYNETTE SOWELL

Cove Leader-Press

The Copperas Cove Economic Development Corporation will hold a planning session tomorrow, starting at 9 a.m. at the city’s Technology Center, located at 508 S. 2nd Street. The meeting is open to the public.

The session will open with a report of operations from Mark Marquez, the interim director of economic development.

The planning session will include discussions on staffing needs for the Copperas Cove Economic Development Department, to include the addition of two positions, one of a marketing director and the other an administrative position. According to the agenda, the department already has a temporary administrative position on board.

Also up for discussion is a possible memorandum of understanding with the city for reimbursement of city services, and the possibility of changing the EDC’s budget/chart of account structure.

The Narrows Business and Technology Park is up for discussion tomorrow, particularly the cleanup, marketing and future facilities for the park.

A rail project between Coryell County and Fort Hood is up for discussion, as the EDC has already committed $15,000 to help fund a feasibility study for an additional railhead for Fort Hood, something which the EDD staff believes could be a “boon to Copperas Cove.”

The sale of the digital sign and the CCEDC bylaws are also on the agenda, which additionally includes updates on EDC projects and prospects, establishing committees as authorized by EDC bylaws, attendance of local and regional event, as well as setting vision, mission statement and goals for the CCEDC for 2018. The last CCEDC mission statement and strategic plan is dated March 2011.

The meeting also has an executive session scheduled to discuss the EDC’s business retention specialist position as well as the temporary administrative assistant.